# ESP8266 with WS2811 IC LED Strip 3M 720LEDs/m 21W/M DC24V

**URL:** <https://wled.discourse.group/t/esp8266-with-ws2811-ic-led-strip-3m-720leds-m-21w-m-dc24v/13858>\
**Category:** Issues\
**Created:** [January 10, 2025, 12:22pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/esp8266-with-ws2811-ic-led-strip-3m-720leds-m-21w-m-dc24v/13858 "2025-01-10T12:22:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kobelka](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/kobelka/32/9144_2.png) [@kobelka](https://wled.discourse.group/u/kobelka)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 12:22pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/esp8266-with-ws2811-ic-led-strip-3m-720leds-m-21w-m-dc24v/13858/1 "2025-01-10T12:22:55Z")

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I have a problem to get my setup to work the first IC shows different colours and the led´s of the hole stripe flicker…

- ESP8266 NodeMCU CP2102 ESP-12E
- BTF-LIGHTING FCOB SPI COB RGB Flexible Hohe Dichte LED-Streifen WS2811 IC LED Strip 3M 720LEDs/m 21W/M DC24V
- 24V 5A Netzteil, 120W
- The powersupply ist connected to the stripe
- the stripe ist connected to gpio2 (d4) and gnd  
 ![2025-01-10 10_11_16-LED Settings](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/wled/original/2X/2/248d2598765ab0661030c63ee3ad71750e87d3ea.png)  
 ![2025-01-10 10_10_18-WLED](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/wled/original/2X/4/48d1966b782da0016886863fbf274f7b15a1b8a8.png)

[Video](https://photos.app.goo.gl/hwSkBhNb7A8mkLU16)

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**Author:** ![srg74](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/srg74/32/3018_2.png) [@srg74](https://wled.discourse.group/u/srg74)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/esp8266-with-ws2811-ic-led-strip-3m-720leds-m-21w-m-dc24v/13858/2 "2025-01-10T15:10:48Z")

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Level shifter is required for a strips 24V power. [Other Hardware - WLED Project](https://kno.wled.ge/basics/compatible-hardware/#levelshifters)

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**Author:** ![kobelka](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/kobelka/32/9144_2.png) [@kobelka](https://wled.discourse.group/u/kobelka)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2025, 7:36am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/esp8266-with-ws2811-ic-led-strip-3m-720leds-m-21w-m-dc24v/13858/3 "2025-01-13T07:36:22Z")

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Thanks for your answer but it worked with a 100 nf capacitor. I also understood that a level shifter is there to increase the voltage when you supply the strip with the ESP.

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**Author:** ![dedehai](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/dedehai/32/7265_2.png) [@dedehai](https://wled.discourse.group/u/dedehai)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2025, 8:35am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/esp8266-with-ws2811-ic-led-strip-3m-720leds-m-21w-m-dc24v/13858/4 "2025-01-13T08:35:46Z")

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> [@kobelka](#):
>
> I also understood that a level shifter is there to increase the voltage when you supply the strip with the ESP.

The mystery of the data level

Datasheet WS2812B

> **[WS2812B.pdf](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/datasheets/WS2812B.pdf)**
>
> 347.03 KB

Needed data level of LED

Looking at the datasheet page 3 we see that the minimal voltage for a high level input is `0.7*Vdd` . `Vdd` is the supply voltage of the LED, so 5V in this case. `0.7 * 5V = 3.5V`

Data level output of ESP

The ESP can only output 3.3V.

Conclusion

The output of the ESP is in theory not high enough to drive the WS2812B LEDs. A levelshifter does fix that issue by changing the datalevel from 3.3V to 5V.

But it works without one in Video XY

As said above: " …in theory…". Values from the Datasheet and the reality are two different things. The values in the datasheet mean that it can garantee a good read of a HIGH level at 3.5V or more. It can work below 3.5V, but there is a chance does not get a good read.